Preparation and Printing Failure Analysis of Polycaprolactone – Magnesium – Hydroxyapatite Filaments for FDM 3D Printing

Abstract:

This study presents the preparation and printing failure analysis of polycaprolactone-magnesium-hydroxyapatite (PCL-Mg-HA) composite filaments intended for Fused Deposition Modeling (FDM) 3D printing. The research aimed to investigate the challenges encountered during the printing process and identify factors affecting the printability of the fabricated biocomposite filaments. The filament was prepared using a double extrusion method, with PCL as the polymer matrix and combined with 3 wt% magnesium (Mg) and 5 wt% hydroxyapatite (HA). The double extrusion process, conducted at 75°C for initial mixing and 55°C for diameter refinement, successfully produced a continuous filament with an average diameter of 1.82 ± 0.05 mm, which closely matched the FDM standard of 1.75 mm. Despite achieving satisfactory filament geometry, the material exhibited poor printability during FDM trials using a Creality Ender 3 V3 SE printer. Printing attempts at nozzle temperatures between 150°C and 180°C resulted in unstable extrusion, nozzle clogging, and incomplete specimen formation. These failures were primarily attributed to the combined effects of high melt viscosity, the sticky behavior of PCL, and the increased stiffness of the composite caused by the Mg and HA fillers. Observations also indicated that the difference in thermal conductivity between PCL and the fillers resulted in uneven melting and localized solidification within the nozzle. Comparative tests using pure PCL filament confirmed similar difficulties, as extrusion remained inconsistent and the printed parts showed weak interlayer adhesion and visible porosity. These findings suggest that the PCL-Mg-HA composite, in its current formulation, is not yet suitable for stable FDM 3D printing due to its rheological and thermal incompatibilities with standard printing conditions. This study offers valuable insights into the processability limitations of PCL-based biocomposite filaments, serving as a reference for future research in developing bioactive materials for bone tissue engineering applications.

• Periodical: Journal of Biomimetics, Biomaterials and Biomedical Engineering (Volume 73)
• Pages: 123-131
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/p-9IcFJJ
• Online since: July 2026
• Authors: Muslimin Muslimin*, Dedy Hendra Jati, Nasywa Ghaitsa Arwanjani, Dhiya Lugyana, Azam Milah Muhammad, Ardiyansyah Syahrom
• Keywords: 3D Printing, Failure, FDM, Filaments, PCL-Mg-Ha

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